Thermal-bath cabinet.



No. 641,386. Patented Ian. I6, [900. W. E. HETTRICK.

THERMAL BATH CABINET.

' Application filed July 8, 1699.)

(No Model.)

THE Norms PETERS cn. PHOTO-LIYHQ. WASHXNGTON. 0 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM E. HETTRIOK, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

TH ERMAL-BATH CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,386, dated January 16, 1900.

Application filed July 8, 1899. fierial No. 723,155. (No model.)

To aZZ whmn it nut/y concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. HETTRIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- ledo, in the county'ofLucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thermal-Bath Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to athermal-bath cabinet, and has for its object to provide an article of the kind, first, that may be readily inclosed and adjusted about the occupant and opened at will from within it by the occupant without external assistance; second, that may be folded compactly together for storage; third, that may be easily taken apart for cleaning and put together for use, and, finally, to produce a bath-cabinet that is economical in construction and durable. I attain these objects by constructing the cabinet of a plurality of frames,each provided with an impervious flexible covering and hinged,

together by means of lacings run through eyelets, or by buttons, or hooks and eyes, or other suitable and convenient means secured in marginal projections of the coverings of the frames to form them into a cabinet and forming hinges whereby the cabinet so formed may be folded into a compact package for storage or be readily taken apart for the purpose of cleaning.

The invention further consists of a new and novel construction of a throat or neck flap, whereby an occupant can readily complete the inclosu re of him self or herself within the cabinet without external assistance, and the construction of the top closure is such that the occupant can leave the cabinet immediately, if occasion requires, by opening the flap and lifting the top closure, which is preferably hinged to the door-section.

I have found that in cabinets constructed with a continuous cover the cover is soon worn out at the corners, and particularly such portions of the cloth as are used to pivotallysecure the sections at the floor, which defects are wholly obviated by my method of pivotally securing the sections by means of lacings run through eyelets, or by buttons, or hooks and eyes, which are preferably fastened to the projecting margins formed upon the sides of each frame. The construction of the cabinet, in separate parts is also more convenient and economical.

In the drawings, in which similar ref erencenumerals represent similar parts, Figure 1 is an isometric View of a cabinet constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is an isometricview in the line 00' a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is an isometric view of the adjustable neckframe. Fig. 5 isalongitudinal section through the top closure, showing the employment of a spring-roller for adjustment of the neckflap.

In carrying out my invention I employ a plurality of frames 1, adapted to form the sides 2, the door 3, the foldable back 4, and the top closure 5. All of the frames are covered severally by an impervious textile fabric extending beyond the sides of the frames, which are secured in the marginal bights 6 of the fabric. The margins are furtheradapted to provide for suitably securing the sections to form a cabinet when assembled, and for such purposeIhavepreferablyprovidedaplurality of eyelets 7, secured in each of the marginal projections, whereby by running a single string or lacing 8 through the eyelets the several sections are thereby secured together to form a cabinet adapted to be folded into a compact package for storage or for shipment.

I may also substitute buttons, hooks and eyes, or other suitable means for marginally securing the sections in extensible assemblage, whereby the sections can be readily detached from each other for convenience in cleaning and facilitating the manufacture of the cabinet.

The fabric covering of the door-frame 3 is extended to provide covering material for the top closure 5, the frame of which is pivotally secured to the door-frame by the flexible fabric.

Within the area of the top closure 5 there is formed an opening 9 for the protruding of the occupants head, and in the margin of this opening there is secured a frame 10, having mounted upon its parallel sides 11 a movable bar 12.

Both the movable bar 12 and the frame 10 are formed with a semicircular recess 13, adapted to coactingly embrace the neck of the occupant and provide for an adjustable and removable closure for the neck-opening by securing flap 14 to the movable bar and to the top closure. I may also secure to the top closure a spring-roller 15, adapted to receive the flap 14. The neck-closure is adapted to be operated from within by the occupant, and thereby provide a convenient means for inclosing the neck and retaining the caloric within the cabinet.

The back frame of the cabinet is foldable upon itself, and the method of folding can be readily inferred from the drawings.

In folding, the top closure is swung outward against the door-section, the back section is doubled upon itself, which brings the sides together, and the door is swungagainst the side, to which it is pivotally secured.

By constructing the sections separately the manipulation of the material is facilitated, and the lacing provides a flexible means for pivotally securing the sections and to prevent the breaking of the textile covering in cold weather and insures a rigid assemblage of the several frames when in operative position as a cabinet.

What I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In combination in a thermal-bath cabinet, a plurality of side sections, and a top-closure section, each section comprising a frame having its own separate covering of impervious flexible material secured thereto by being bighted around the frame, and having a portion of the bights projecting beyond the sides of the frame to form margins; eyelets secured in the margins; lacings run through the eyelets of adjacent margins, whereby the side sections are pivotally secured together in succession and the top-closure section is secured to the top of one of the end side sections, the top section being adapted, when the free margins of the end side sections are brought together with the side sections in vertical position resting on the floor, to complete the inclosure formed by the side sections and the floor; an openingin the covering material of the top section for obtruding the head of the occupant of the inclosure so formed, the opening being provided with a frame secured to the covering material, having an embrasure formed on one side of the frame to receive the neck of the occupant; and a flap secured to the frame of the opening adapted to close the opening about the neck of the occupant and to be adjusted by the occupant from Within the inclosure.

2. In combination in a thermal-bath cabinet, a plurality of side sections and a doorsection, each side section comprising a frame having its own separate covering of impervious flexible material secured thereto by being bighted around the frame, and having a portion of the bight projecting beyond the sides of the frame to form margins, and the door-section comprising a side frame and a top-closure frame pivotally connected by having the covering of the door-frame extended to cover the top frame and similarly bighted about the frames with margins; eyelets secured in the margins; lacings run through the eyelets of adjacent margins whereby the side sections are pivotally secured together in succession and to the doonsection, the top closure portion of the door-section being adapted, when the free margin of the end side section is brought to connect with the free margin of the door-section with the side sections in vertical position resting on the floor, to complete the inclosure formed by the side sections and the floor; an opening in the covering material of the top frame for obtruding the head of an occupant of the inclosure so formed, the opening being provided with a frame secured to the covering, having a semicircular embrasure in one end adapted to receive the neck of the occupant, and with a movable bar, having an oppositely-disposed similar embrasure; and a flap secured at one end to the movable bar and at the opposite end to the top closure, adapted to close the opening about the neck of the occupant and be operated by the occupant from within the cabinet so formed.

3. In combination in a thermal-bath cabinet, a plurality of side sections and a doorsection, each side section comprising a frame having its own separate covering of impervious flexible material secured thereto by being bighted around the frame, and having a portion of the bight projecting beyond the sides of the frame to form margins, and the door-section comprising a side frame and a top-closure frame pivotally connected by having the covering of the door-frame extended to cover the top frame and similarly bighted about the frames with margins; eyelets secured in the margins; lacings run through the eyelets of adjacent margins whereby the side sections are pivotally secured together in succession and to the door-section, the topclosure portion of the door-section being adapted, when thefree margin of the end side section is brought to connect with the free margin of the door-section with the side sections in vertical position resting on the floor, to complete the inclosure formed by the side sections and the floor; an opening in the covering material of the top frame for obtruding the head of the occupant of the inclosure so formed, the opening being provided with a frame secured to the covering, having a semicircular embrasure in one end adapted to receive the neck of the occupant, and with a movable bar, having an oppositely-disposed similar embrasure', and a flap secured at one end to the movable bar, and to a springroller secured to the frame, at the opposite end, adapted to automatically roll up the flap and allow it to be unrolled by the occupant, to close the opening from within the cabinet.

Inwitness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of June, A. D. 1899.

WILLIAM E. I-IETTRICK. Witnesses:

J. A. GLovER, P. B. HARBOUR. 

